Resilient Sydney

In 2015 Sydney won a place in the 100 Resilient Cities initiative pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation. 100 Resilient Cities provides technical support and resources for cities to develop and implement strategies to help them survive, adapt and thrive in the face of the challenges of the 21st century.

Resilient Sydney is a collaboration with all the councils of metropolitan Sydney and the NSW Government. Resilient Sydney is hosted by the City of Sydney. The team in Sydney includes a Chief Resilience Officer, Deputy Chief Resilience Officer and research support from a consultant team.

Resilient Sydney is making plans for Metropolitan Sydney – from the Hawkesbury in the north, to the Blue Mountains in the west, to Wollondilly and Sutherland Shire in the south. (See map in the documents library to the right).

In 2016 we conducted research and engagement to assess Sydney’s strengths, weaknesses and vulnerabilities. We used this information to identify the key challenges we need to tackle for our city to become strong, just and ready for anything. Throughout 2017 the Resilient Sydney team have conducted community and stakeholder workshops to gather ideas. These will form the Resilient Sydney Plan which will be launched later in 2017.

Resilience is the capacity of individuals, communities, institutions, businesses and systems within a city to survive, adapt and grow no matter what kinds of chronic stresses or acute shocks they experience.

In 2015 Sydney won a place in the 100 Resilient Cities initiative pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation. 100 Resilient Cities provides technical support and resources for cities to develop and implement strategies to help them survive, adapt and thrive in the face of the challenges of the 21st century.

Resilient Sydney is a collaboration with all the councils of metropolitan Sydney and the NSW Government. Resilient Sydney is hosted by the City of Sydney. The team in Sydney includes a Chief Resilience Officer, Deputy Chief Resilience Officer and research support from a consultant team.

Resilient Sydney is making plans for Metropolitan Sydney – from the Hawkesbury in the north, to the Blue Mountains in the west, to Wollondilly and Sutherland Shire in the south. (See map in the documents library to the right).

In 2016 we conducted research and engagement to assess Sydney’s strengths, weaknesses and vulnerabilities. We used this information to identify the key challenges we need to tackle for our city to become strong, just and ready for anything. Throughout 2017 the Resilient Sydney team have conducted community and stakeholder workshops to gather ideas. These will form the Resilient Sydney Plan which will be launched later in 2017.

Resilience is the capacity of individuals, communities, institutions, businesses and systems within a city to survive, adapt and grow no matter what kinds of chronic stresses or acute shocks they experience.

The Resilient Sydney Story

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Described as the person ‘paid to worry for Sydney’, Beck Dawson is creating the city’s first Resilience Strategy – the document that Sydney’s major decision makers will turn to as our Plan B.

Sydney is regularly described as one of the world’s most liveable cities, but it faces major challenges as its population grows and ages at unprecedented rates. The city is also facing the impacts of rapid changes in technology and climate - becoming a more digitally reliant and hot, stormy city.

Beck is Sydney’s Chief Resilience Officer, bringing more than 20 years’ experience and a reputation as a leading sustainability expert to the role. Beck has worked for big businesses, community groups and public institutions in Sydney and London.

Sydney’s governance is complex with the NSW Government, Greater Sydney Commission, numerous state government agencies and more than 30 local councils all playing their part. Beck’s role is to encourage all the major players and decision makers around the table to work collaboratively for the city’s long-term future, especially in terms of potential disasters.

Beck describes Sydney’s diversity as one of its greatest strengths, but acknowledges that geographic tribalism is one of the city’s potential weaknesses.

The thing Beck misses most about Sydney while on holiday is, “…the excitement and buzz, especially in the growing western parts of Sydney. When you travel around metropolitan Sydney you can visit the world with great food, festivals and people yet you are never far away from amazing natural beauty in our parklands and waterways.”

Described as the person ‘paid to worry for Sydney’, Beck Dawson is creating the city’s first Resilience Strategy – the document that Sydney’s major decision makers will turn to as our Plan B.

Sydney is regularly described as one of the world’s most liveable cities, but it faces major challenges as its population grows and ages at unprecedented rates. The city is also facing the impacts of rapid changes in technology and climate - becoming a more digitally reliant and hot, stormy city.

Beck is Sydney’s Chief Resilience Officer, bringing more than 20 years’ experience and a reputation as a leading sustainability expert to the role. Beck has worked for big businesses, community groups and public institutions in Sydney and London.

Sydney’s governance is complex with the NSW Government, Greater Sydney Commission, numerous state government agencies and more than 30 local councils all playing their part. Beck’s role is to encourage all the major players and decision makers around the table to work collaboratively for the city’s long-term future, especially in terms of potential disasters.

Beck describes Sydney’s diversity as one of its greatest strengths, but acknowledges that geographic tribalism is one of the city’s potential weaknesses.

The thing Beck misses most about Sydney while on holiday is, “…the excitement and buzz, especially in the growing western parts of Sydney. When you travel around metropolitan Sydney you can visit the world with great food, festivals and people yet you are never far away from amazing natural beauty in our parklands and waterways.”

Resilient Sydney began with an Agenda Setting Workshop in June 2015 attended by 150 stakeholders from across metropolitan Sydney. Participants attended from 40 of Sydney’s then 41 councils, state government, business, academia, community services, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, emergency services, utilities, advocacy and community groups.

Participants gave feedback on Sydney’s strengths, weaknesses and vulnerabilities. The workshop also established a shared understanding of city resilience and enthusiasm for the work ahead.

2. Resilience Ambassadors

In early 2016 Resilient Sydney invited a representative from each of metropolitan Sydney’s councils to join our Resilience Ambassadors group.... Continue reading

1. Agenda Setting Workshop

Resilient Sydney began with an Agenda Setting Workshop in June 2015 attended by 150 stakeholders from across metropolitan Sydney. Participants attended from 40 of Sydney’s then 41 councils, state government, business, academia, community services, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, emergency services, utilities, advocacy and community groups.

Participants gave feedback on Sydney’s strengths, weaknesses and vulnerabilities. The workshop also established a shared understanding of city resilience and enthusiasm for the work ahead.

2. Resilience Ambassadors

In early 2016 Resilient Sydney invited a representative from each of metropolitan Sydney’s councils to join our Resilience Ambassadors group. The Ambassadors provide feedback and input into our studies while championing resilience within their organisations.

We have held meetings and workshops with the Ambassadors to inform our research, develop case studies of best practice within local government and facilitate connections and networks for future action within Sydney.

3. Engagement to develop the Preliminary Resilience Assessment, 2016

Resilient Sydney consulted with the community (residents of metropolitan Sydney) as well as stakeholders from business, government, the community services sector, emergency preparedness, utilities and academia to develop the Preliminary Resilience Assessment.

In November 2016 Michael Berkowitz, president of 100 Resilient Cities, met with mayors, general managers and administrators from across Sydney’s metropolitan councils to discuss Sydney’s challenges and the value of local government collaboration for taking meaningful action.

Later that night Michael gave the keynote speech at the Resilient Sydney City Talk. He was joined by Beck Dawson, the Chief Resilience Officer for metropolitan Sydney as well as a panel of experts in discussing our challenges and the importance of working together to make Sydney strong.

The City Talk was attended by more than 700 members of the public, many of whom learned of urban resilience, 100 Resilient Cities and Resilient Sydney for the first time.

Media coverage of Resilient Sydney following the visit included a front page article and double page spread in the Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday 19 November 2016

Phase I 2016: Research and engagement to understand Sydney’s strengths, weaknesses and vulnerabilities and the key challenges we face.

Phase II now - mid 2017: Engagement to develop solutions to our challenges. We will also focus on increasing understanding of resilience whilst building networks and partnerships for action. We will use the feedback to develop the Resilient Sydney Strategy.

Phase III late 2017: Launch of the Resilient Sydney Strategy. We will put some of the solutions into action. We will continue to build understanding and capacity for resilience across our city,... Continue reading

The Resilient Sydney Strategy is developed in three phases.

Phase I 2016: Research and engagement to understand Sydney’s strengths, weaknesses and vulnerabilities and the key challenges we face.

Phase II now - mid 2017: Engagement to develop solutions to our challenges. We will also focus on increasing understanding of resilience whilst building networks and partnerships for action. We will use the feedback to develop the Resilient Sydney Strategy.

Phase III late 2017: Launch of the Resilient Sydney Strategy. We will put some of the solutions into action. We will continue to build understanding and capacity for resilience across our city, whilst creating and strengthening networks and partnerships.

Program Governance

Resilient Sydney receives guidance and approval from 100 Resilient Cities internationally and the Resilient Sydney Steering Committee locally. The metropolitan Sydney Steering Committee includes executive leadership from the following sectors:

·Local government – a general manager representing the communities from each of the 6 Districts of metropolitan Sydney

·State government – key agencies involved in land use and emergency management are represented